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James Cook to star in world's first Foghorn Requiem

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James Cook, the bright yellow yacht of Tyneside based Sail Training and youth development charity Ocean Youth Trust North, is to take part in an amazing musical event transforming the North Sea into a concert hall.

James Cook will be anchored off the North East coastline this Saturday for Foghorn Requiem, an ambitious musical performance by British composer Orlando Gough. The spectacle features more than 50 ships and the Souter Lighthouse Foghorn and is part of the Festival of the North East.

James Cook, a 70-foot long ketch, has been chosen as one of the armada of vessels which will sound their horns at sea, alongside three North East brass bands, to create a musical score heard for miles along the South Tyneside coastline. The unusual performance marks the disappearance of the sound of foghorns from Britain's coastlines. Foghorns are being gradually decommissioned and replaced with new satellite navigation technology.

Steve Lennon, general manager OYT North, said: "It's an honour for OYT North and our yacht James Cook to take part in such a rare and magical event that turns the North Sea into a stage in the name of art and music."

A film crew from the BBC's Blue Peter show will sail alongside children with special educational needs from Woodlawn School in Whitley Bay, to capture film of the Foghorn Requiem. "What makes this event even better is that young people from Woodlawn School will be manning James Cook on Saturday and Blue Peter wanted to be there to film it with them from our decks," said Lennon.

James Cook is named after the famous Middlesbrough explorer and navigator Captain James Cook, the first European to reach Australia, and last year the North Shields based yacht celebrated 25 years of taking young people to sea for adventure under sail expeditions.

Over the past quarter of a century OYT North has welcomed more than 10,000 young people to sail on-board James Cook, including groups with special educational needs, visual impairment, young offenders, schools, colleges, Scouts and Guides and young people enrolled on the National Citizen Service.